Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Jay-Z Carter are the two halves to one whole of the most powerful, iconic couples that have ever graced the entertainment industry. The duo dominates the world of music, fashion, and Hollywood while having fascinated with their fairy-tale love story. From their adorable family life with three children to their steamy collaborative music and shows, to the drama they both create with the drop of a well-worded verse, Queen Bey and Jay-Z are royalty in their own right. It’s no wonder that the general public can’t get enough of them!

The couple is notoriously private and very skilled at controlling the narrative around their relationship—they give the public and their fans exactly what they want to give them, and when they want to divulge it. Who can blame them?

Being in the public eye with the constant critique of your choices would get to be very tiring. However, with the recent speculation about their relationship being on the rocks due to Beyonce’s biting and unexpectedly raw album Lemonade and Jay-Z’s apologetic 4:44, the couple has unearthed the fascination with their relationship and their pasts. Below are 20 secrets about Jay-Z and his family that you may not have known.

20 Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number…Is It?

The timeline around Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s relationship has always been a bit of a mystery but as the couple has opened up, they’ve admitted that they first met in 2000. At this time, Beyoncé would have been around 18 years old; Jay-Z would have been about 30. Talk about robbing the cradle! While they took their time getting to know one another—one and a half years before an official first date—the age difference is somewhat of a shock.

There’s also a significant difference in where they are in their careers. In 2000, Beyoncé was launching her solo career; Jay-Z had released several albums and was entrenched in the music world. While they’ve made it work, there’s no doubt that early on, that age difference could have been a challenge!

19 He (Was) A Hustler, Baby

We do have to wonder if, at first look, Jay-Z was the man Beyoncé’s family and friends would have chosen for her. Sure, he’s worth hundreds of millions of dollars now and is an established businessman, but did you know that Jay-Z has a dark past? Born Shawn Corey Carter, Jay-Z grew up in Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects, which were riddled with crime and drugs.

Carter was a known drug dealer for many years and was also initiated into a gang as a pre-teen. Jay-Z has incorporated lyrics into his raps about his drug-dealing day and has been open in many interviews about his past, noting that his entrance into the music world changed the trajectory of his life and career. Obviously, his life’s experiences made good music, but we’re glad that’s not his life anymore!

18 A “One Man” Kind Of Woman

It’s hard to imagine now, but Beyoncé was a shy and somewhat innocent young woman when she landed in the music scene with Destiny’s Child. Beyoncé has shared that she created her alter ego, Sasha Fierce, to help her get her into the right mindset and attitude while singing and performing, and there’s no doubt that she’s an all-around glam-bomb.

With such a boss attitude, you’d think that Beyoncé had men chasing after her since she was old enough to date—right? Actually, that’s not at all the case. Beyoncé exclusively dated her high school boyfriend Lyndelle Lock from 1993-2000. The couple broke up in the same year that she met Jay-Z. Locke admitted to cheating on her while they were an item—we bet he regrets that now, but know that Beyoncé is much better off!

17 In The Back

Growing up in projects meant that Jay-Z had to be tough and rely on himself from an early age. We know he had a history of drug dealing and gang activity. Jay-Z has even been shot at three times in his neighborhood as a boy! Guns and violence ran rampant around him. That influence left a mark on him. When Jay-Z was 12 years old his brother—who was high on crack– stole Jay-Z’s ring.

Without thinking, Jay-Z shot his brother! At such a young age, Jay-Z thought his life was over. However, when he visited his brother at the hospital, his brother apologized to him for his addiction and actions. Jay-Z later went on to rap about this situation in his song “You Must Love Me”—we can tell this tragic situation is still a part of him!

16 Baby Daddy…But Not Just To Bey

In 2002, Jay-Z was in an open relationship with Shenelle Scott, a model from Trinidad. Scott was engaged to another man, so when she became pregnant with her son, it was easy to assume that it was his baby. But as questions about the baby’s father circulated, Jay-Z took a paternity test and learned he was the baby’s father. Since then, he’s stepped up, supporting the baby—and Shenelle.

Once again in 2010, Jay-Z was in the middle of another affair and paternity rumor featuring adult film star Jazmine Cashmire. While Cashmire denied the claims publicly, sources indicated that Jay-Z had paid her off; around this same time, she purchased an expensive home. Given that this affair was rumored to have happened after Jay-Z and Beyoncé got married, it’s no wonder he’s kept the truth on the down low.

15 Back Room Brawl

It seems like Jay-Z just can’t leave trouble well enough alone! Back in 1999, when Jay-Z’s career was launching, he attended a listening party for rapper Q-Tip at the Kit Kat Club in Manhattan. Jay-Z had performed somewhere else that night, promoting his new album The Life and Times of S. Carter, and after arriving at the club exchanged words with record producer Lance “Un” Rivera. When things escalated, Jay-Z pulled a knife and went for Rivera.

The trial took over two years, and before a plea deal was reached, Jay-Z faced up to 15 years in prison for assault charges! Luckily his lawyers were able to get a plea deal and Jay-Z only had to serve 3 years of probation, and settle a civil suit for an amount between $500,000 and $1 million.

14 Jay-Z’s And Beyoncé’s Love Triangle?

For all the rumors about Jay-Z’s wandering eyes and illicit affairs, it’s no wonder that Beyoncé wants to keep him close and keep other women away. So when rumors began to fly about Jay-Z’s potential relationship with the artist on his label, Rita Ora, it was interesting to note that those speculations included that Beyoncé and Rita may have a relationship of their own that excludes Jay-Z.

This rumor hasn’t been confirmed, but the couple enjoyed years of friendship with Ora before she left the Roc Nation label in 2015 due to a lack of production of her music. Since that split, it’s been speculated that Rita Ora was “Becky with the good hair” referenced on Beyonce’s Lemonade¸ but Ora has adamantly denied that claim. Regardless, we can tell she was and is a special friend to both the Carters!

13 Family Feud

In addition to the children that have been linked to Jay-Z through model Shenelle Scott and adult film star Jazmine Cashmire, Jay-Z has found himself embroiled in a long-time battle with a man claiming to be his biological son. Rymir Satterthwaite has initiated a lawsuit against Jay-Z, noting that Jay-Z was involved in a romantic relationship with his mother, Wanda Satterthwait, in the early 1990s and has avoided any acknowledgment of Rymir as his son.

Jay-Z has thus far refused to take a paternity test, and his ongoing reluctance to do so makes this a very dirty secret. Rymir’s initial filing in civil court in 2015 has escalated to a federal court, with Rymir noting that his desire is to understand more about his paternity and get to know his family—and has nothing to do with money.

12 Lip Syncing For POTUS

Her fierce nature, fashion icon status and all-around goddess image aside, Beyoncé is known for her amazing voice. Who doesn’t love to listen to her when she hits her high notes or an amazing run? So when Beyoncé was asked to perform the National Anthem at the 2013 inauguration ceremony for President Barack Obama critics were quick to note that it looked like she was lip syncing to a previously recorded track.

Beyoncé didn’t directly respond to the accusations from the media about the lip syncing but did note that she’d spent a great deal of time practicing and rehearsing. When the day arrived, she didn’t feel like she’d had enough time with the live orchestra. We’re disappointed Bey—we just wanted to see you sing your heart out!

11 So Many Break-Ups And Make-Ups

Ever couple has unique challenges. But when couples are in the spotlight, work and live together, while maintaining celebrity status, those challenges are likely to increase. The king and queen of hip-hop are no different. Over the course of their 15-year relationship, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have broken up many times, then come back together to make amends.

The couple hasn’t always been transparent about their relationship status, leaving friends and fans to wonder what’s really happening behind closed doors. Some even speculate that they maintain a “united front” because their financial and work commitments are so intertwined, but go through ups and downs—and some separations—behind closed doors. However, since Beyoncé’s album Lemonade, and Jay-Z’s response with 4:44, we hope that the couple is finding some easier roads ahead!

10 Taking Money From All The Wrong Places

Imagine what it would be like to be able to have a private concert, for you and your friends, with some of music’s biggest stars. We can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t want to have that opportunity! But sometimes, good intentions have a bad backlash. In 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were hired to perform a private concert to the tune of $2 million for Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi and his family.

Other pop stars were invited to do additional shows. However, the industry and public lashed out at the Carters when they heard about the concert. At the time of the concert, al-Qaddafi was being prosecuted for crimes against humanity, and was openly known for oppressing his people and assassinating enemies in the press and protesters! Jay-Z took a lot of heat for this decision and the industry didn’t soon forget.

9 Money (And Fame) Before Love

Beyoncé’s solo career shot off as soon as she started recording on her own. We expected no less—she was unarguably the face and spotlight of Destiny’s Child. Fans of that group were likely to follow her trajectory of success! Listening to her make her own music on her terms was the definition of a dream come true; fans could tell how hard she worked to define her style and voice.

However, not everyone was pleased with her work as her fans. Jay-Z seemed to struggle with her ambition, and seemed to even be jealous or irritated with her drive for success! In his song “Lost One”, he alludes to this by rapping “I don’t think it’s meant to be, B. But she loves her work more than she does me.” Come on, Jay-Z +140—show Bey some support!

8 Pulled Into Barneys PR Nightmare

Celebrities are prime spokespeople—with a built-in fan base watching their every move, they have the unique opportunity to be mass influencers. For a business mogul like Jay-Z, it only makes sense to design and promote your own fashion line that reflects your personal style. In fall 2013, Jay-Z was primed to launch his capsule clothing and accessory line at Barneys New York.

However, shortly before the launch, Barneys came under fire for concerns about racially-biased accusations of stealing that targeted members of the black community. With this growing outrage, fans and other celebrities put significant pressure on Jay-Z to cancel his partnership with the store. Jay-Z’s only response was that he was waiting to hear about the results of a meeting between Barneys and community leaders. Profits were to be directed towards his non-profit educational foundation.

7 Beyoncé’s Not-So-Subtle Lyrics About Jay-Z’s Cheating

Beyonce’s never been shy about putting her true feelings into her music. Before dropping the lyrical bomb about “Becky with the good hair”, Beyoncé recorded a song called “Ring the Alarm” on the 2006 album B’day, which has been said to be about singer Rhianna who has been romantically linked to Jay-Z.

In June 2014, these rumors sparked again when Beyoncé changed the lyrics to the song “Resentment” by changing the words “been ridin’ with you for six years” to “been ridin’ with you for 12 years”—most likely a nod to the couple’s (then) 12-year relationship. Beyoncé went on to add “She ain’t even half of me; that b*tch will never be”.

In August 2014, rapper LIV (who was linked to Jay-Z) released a song titled “Sorry Ms. Carter”—could this be an apology for Beyoncé?

6 Cheers To Five Years—With A Federal Investigation

Anyone who’s been married for a period of time knows that reaching the five-year mark is something to celebrate! Most people go out to dinner or exchange nice gifts. But the king and queen of hip-hop took it several steps further and took a trip to visit Havana, Cuba. During their trip, the couple attended a welcome dinner, took walking tours of local neighborhoods, and spent time engaging in the local arts community.

Upon the Carters’ return to the U.S., lawmakers began to criticize the trip and speculate that the pair's activities may have been illegal under the United States embargo against Cuba! The Office of Foreign Assets Control launched an investigation, reviewing their activities and the couple’s clearance to travel. Luckily, the investigation cleared the Carters of any wrong-doing, but it was a tense few weeks!

5 High-Maintenance Momma In the Delivery Room

Beyonce’s pregnancy with Blue Ivy was a hot topic in the press and with her fans! When Blue Ivy was born, Beyonce and Jay-Z paid over $1 million to rent out a floor in the delivery hospital and took extreme measures to keep any information from leaking to the press—such as collecting staff’s phones and taping over video cameras. This move prompted many to perpetuate the rumor that Beyoncé and Jay-Z used a surrogate for Blue Ivy, and Beyoncé was never pregnant.

When the Carter twins, Rumi and Sir were born, the Carters built a maternity ward in their home. This in-home hospital set up featured state of the art machines and a full-time team of doctors and nurses to support them. The Carters said this move was to reduce intrusiveness at the hospital—talk about a home birth set-up!

4 Tina Knowles Scientology Connections

Scientology has earned its share of skepticism in the media due to its unorthodox teaching, odd demands of their members and secrets divulged by former members. The religion’s reach is far and wide. It also extends to the Knowles family. When Tina Knowles married actor and convert Richard Lawson in 2015, it was reported that one of the conditions of the marriage was that Tina convert to Scientology and embrace all of the religion’s teachings.

Scientology is infamous for promoting key celebrities that practice (such as Tom Cruise and Will Smith) and is sometimes known for exploiting those relationships. While unconfirmed, some family members note that Beyoncé is not happy with her mother’s relationship with the religion and is concerned that the relationship will give the religion access to her family and empire.

3 Cheating Runs In The Family

The world was rocked by the release of Beyonce’s Lemonade album, detailing Jay-Z’s affair with another woman. We all wondered—who cheats on Beyoncé?! But did you know that another man in Beyonce’s life has shown his true, cheating colors? Matthew Knowles, Beyonce’s father, has two illegitimate children from other relationships—his son with Alexsandra Wright was born in 2010, and caused his wife, Beyonce’s mother Tina, to divorce him.

Matthew Knowles also has a daughter, Koi, with Taqoya Branscomb. Knowles allegedly told Branscomb that he had a vasectomy, but paternity tests later proved he was the father. What’s worse than his roving eye is that Knowles doesn’t seem to acknowledge his children, and even tried to pay Branscomb $225,000 in hush money to keep from having to pay child support.

2 Bodyguard Gone Bad

Celebs need bodyguards and protection. Queen B and Jay-Z are no exceptions. Who wouldn’t want to have a bodyguard between them and crazed fans? But whispers were heard when the family’s long-time bodyguard Norman Oosterbroek was abruptly fired in 2013 for bizarre, inappropriate actions while on the job.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z found out the Oosterbroek hired a prostitute while on the clock. He engaged in lewd acts that involved the Carter family’s photos that he carried with them—including one of Blue Ivy. No wonder he was fired and the family cut ties!

Oosterbroek was no stranger to being a bodyguard for celebrity royalty, so this move shocked the celebrity community. Oosterbroek was later involved in a bizarre home invasion where the homeowners engaged in an altercation with him, and Oozterbroek later died.

1 Blood Isn’t Thicker Than Water

There definitely is something to be said for trusting your friends and close family when you get into the spotlight or entertainment industry. We’ve all seen successful “momagers” (ahem, Kris Jenner.) We can imagine that having someone you love and trust take care of your business affairs is a relief. However, that trust can sometimes backfire, and it can be deeply hurtful.

In 2011, Beyoncé fired her father, Matthew Knowles, who was serving as her business manager, organizing events, promotions, contracts, and finances. While both parties publicly maintained that it was a mutual split to benefit them both, Knowles indicated that he was going to focus on other acts he represented. Legal filings have noted that Knowles misrepresented Beyoncé in business meetings, stole money from her performances and promotions.

Source: Billboard.com, US Magazine, BravoTV, Daily Mail, CNN.com, People.com, New York Times, Rolling Stone, MTV.com, The Guardian, Huffington Post, CNN.com